OPENING OF THE CAMBRIDGE WATERWORKS.

Waikato Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1506, 13 March 1903, Page 4

OPENING OF THE CAMBRIDGE WATERWORKS.

WkBNKSDAY would have been a gala day in Cambridge had not Jupiter Pluvius thought well tc send along ons of his Generally welcome contributions, but which the inhabitants would rather have been without on this occasion, for it was the day fixed for the formal opening of the waterworks; however, though it waswet, a kooil number went to the l.'oniuin grounds, where the waterworks are situated, to see Mis Worship the Mayor (Mr Buckland) start the engine and turn on the water. 'The pumping station is situated on the flat, not tar from the Waikato river, and the water is fi reed up into n tower 7(1 foot high, close to the main Cambridge-llnmiltnu road. There the reticulation of the pipes commences, and close upon ten miles of mains have been laid, winch will supply the major portion of the town with a plentiful supply of pure water. The pump (one of Tangye's Verticle Treble Rjiii Pumps) is cenuected with one of the same firm's new tvpe of oil engines, and is capable of raising 001)0 gallons of water per hour to a height of '2OO feet, and as the spring is i never-failing one, there is not much probability os the inhabitants of Cambridge running short of water for many years to come. ICren should thia supply noc be sufficient, there is another spring, of ei|ual capacity, within 100 yards that that can be utilised at a few hours' notice. The whole of the work has been carried out under Mr nshley J. Hunter, C.K , of Auckland, upon whom it reflects much credit. Mr J. J. Holland, of Auckland, built the water-tower, the dam at the springs ami the bed for the engine ; Messrs Davys and Son. erected the engine house and the resilience for the engineer : and Messrs Williams and Graydon, of Auckland, laid the mains and the various services for supplying the inhabitants with water; and one and nil have carried out their contracts faithfully and well. At :> p.m. the Mayor started the engine, then he walked up to the tower aud turned on the water, after which a move was made to Victoriastreet, where a hydrant and hose were attached to the main, and an exhibition of the pressure available was given. This proved very satifactory, it being fully up to expectations. The Mayor then gave a very short address congratulating the Burgessee on having such a blessing as a plentiful'supply of pure water, for, according to the analysis, that which he had just turned on could not be exceeded, and they were also to ba congratulated ■upon the faithful manner in which the work had been carried our, there not having been the slightest friction between the Council, the engineer, and the contractors. On behalf of the people of Cambridge he thanked the entineer and the contractors for having so faithfully carried out their respective duties. The Mayor, merr,ber3 of the Council, engineer, and contractors then adjourned to the Criterion Hotel, where His Worship regaled them with champagne, and subsequently Messrs Williams and Grayden provided more of the seductive fluid. The Mayor called on all present to drink the health of Mr Hunter, who had so ably carried out the scheme. This was done, and in returning thanks Mr Hunter said that although the scheme was a small one it was an important one, and he had not the slightest hesitation in sayiDg it was the cheapest in the colony. It could not have been done for anything like £OOOO had it not been for the peculiar pipes used, and it was the first time that (hit make of pipes had been used in the colony. He bore cestimony to the good work done by the contractors, and made special mention of the very capable cnuineer (Mr F. C. Bunyard), stating that the Council could not have employed a better man. The other toasts were : ' The Contractors,' proposed by Mr Hunter and responded to by Mr Williams; 'The Members of the Council,' by the Mayor and replied to by Cr. Wills, who took.the opportunity of remarking that 20 years ago the Borough would have had a water supply from the same source hud it not been for one or two cantankerous inhabitants ; ' The Mayor,' by Cr. Wei's, to which His Worship replied. ' The Town Clerk ' and • The Vreiis ' having been duly toasted, the happy cathering broke up.;